The present invention relates to disposable litter boxes, and more particularly, to a collapsible litter box which is simple and low cost to manufacture, simple to erect, and provides a durable and sturdy enclosure.
The prior art has suggested various disposable litter boxes that come in various configurations. Examples of such constructions are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,348,982; 4,760,816; 4,776,300; 4,782,788; 4,791,883; 4,792,082; 4,807,808; 4,884,527; 4,913,091; 4,940,016; 4,976,218; 4,981,104; 4,986,217; 5,027,748 and 5,014,649. Some of these litters boxes are sold preassemble and some are sold in pieces requiring complicated assembly, while others are sold in a collapsed configuration. The collapsible type structures are provided with fresh litter in the collapsed configuration and which when expanded to its operative configuration provides an enclosure which allows the cat or other pet to enter and use the litter.
Prior art litter boxes suffer from various deficiencies. Some are very expensive to manufacture while others are complicated in structure requiring numerous elements. While others suffer from being difficult to assemble or unfold to the expanded configuration. Collapsible type structures rely on various folding techniques to allow folding of the structure. However, while these various folding techniques assist greatly in providing the box assembly in a compact form, they provide a structure in the expanded configuration which relatively unstable and is subject to collapse during normal use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,217 relies on friction between adjacent panels to maintain the side walls in their upright position. Thus the side walls are subject to being easily collapsed inwardly by any external force applied thereto. A person, object or an animal applying a force against the side can cause the side walls to easily fall inward.
Applicant has invented a disposable kitty litter box which is simple in construction, easily expanded from its folded condition to its fully expanded condition, is extremely durable in its expanded condition, is low cost in design and manufacture, and can easily be broken down for disposable.